Food Frenzy

Thursday, Sept. 10
BLOG #3
So tonight the quote in the journal that Carrie gave me says “God give me joy in the tasks that press, in the memories that burn and bless. In the thought that life has love to spend, in the faith that God’s at journey’s end.” I really like this on many levels. (Thanks Carrie again for the journal... it’s filling up fast :) I have been taking the first phrase to heart lately with the especially in the area of food, and at times my seemingly pushy host mom. I’ve really have to take my time in prayer and make sure that I’m genuinely grateful for the food served. That probably sounds ridiculous - but you don’t realize until you’ve been served something that you honestly just don’t want to eat how ridiculous/offensive it must sound to God that you just rushed through a prayer saying all of these great things about how thankful you are... or whatever... then grumble about it in your heart and even out loud at times! It’s honestly difficult, and I really am trying...! For example, I was just thinking through dinner (which was actually fabulous!) tonight, “Really, this is culture with a nomadic history, meaning meat has been the ultimate source of food. They didn’t have gardens or things like this. Really, to professional meat eaters (Kazakhs), the fatter the animal, the tastier the meat, except if you’re in America, in which case the more roided the animal, the bigger and tastier the meat - like those stupid rib-eyes we featured for forever at ciao that people would send back because “Oh it was delicious, but there was way too much fat” lol. So you just have to deal with the hormones and who knows what that the mega farms have pumped into the animal. This was the reason I stopped eating beef in the first place (Mr. Inselmann)....and the fact that I’m served extremely fatty meat should be reassuring that the animal wasn’t a juiced up freak of nature and I won’t turn into a man from eating it lol. I really should be grateful from the get go that I’m served fatty meat because it is tastier that sickly meat. I don’t know, I really didn’t to write this much about fatty meat... but its the principle of the thing.
Another shot today - flu shot... and man if I could have one wish it would have been that Sarah V gave it to me! :) Then we had more lectures from Dr. Victor (our very interesting, passionate, and hilarious - previous Russian Army guy, turned PC Dr.(he actually cleaned up Angloa!)) about alcohol, mental health, dental care, STDs, rape, police encounters (corruption)... very emotionally exhausting to hear all of these tragic tragic stories about volunteer incidents in the past. Makes me think of Romans, “righteousness is pleasing to God and man., think of yourselves with sober judgement, and rulers hold no terror for those who do right”. The message seems clear - wise choices, and obedience. I can manage.
Lesson plans are quickly approaching, which makes me excited!